I have recently made the transition from 100/200 to 200/400/800 running. I am having a lot of problems dropping size from my upper body. My program basically is consisting of 5-6 running days a week (speed + longer runs), 1 x Gym session (with the only upper body component is Hang Cleans - which aren't focused as an upper body exercise anyway), and 1 x body weight circuit (chins, pushups, dips + lower body movements in the circuit).
I have recently made the transition from 100/200 to 200/400/800 running. I am having a lot of problems dropping size from my upper body. My program basically is consisting of 5-6 running days a week (speed + longer runs), 1 x Gym session (with the only upper body component is Hang Cleans - which aren't focused as an upper body exercise anyway), and 1 x body weight circuit (chins, pushups, dips + lower body movements in the circuit).
Any suggestions?
Cheers.
Hang cleans work the upper back, traps, shoulders and biceps fairly hard. Perhaps dieting while training with squats, with the idea being to drop some mass without losing posterior chain strength.
Hang cleans shouldn't work the biceps at all. I've never had a problem with adding mass while doing cleans. The time under tension is so short and the emphasis is primarily on the legs.
I'd just suggest giving it some time. If you follow the routine you mentioned your body will change. That's the beauty of the human body…it adapts to what you ask of it.
Hang cleans shouldn't work the biceps at all. I've never had a problem with adding mass while doing cleans. The time under tension is so short and the emphasis is primarily on the legs.
I'd just suggest giving it some time. If you follow the routine you mentioned your body will change. That's the beauty of the human body…it adapts to what you ask of it.
I agree Mike the hang clean shouldnt work the biceps at all, unless they are doing a rev curl.
Hang cleans shouldn't work the biceps at all. I've never had a problem with adding mass while doing cleans. The time under tension is so short and the emphasis is primarily on the legs.
I'd just suggest giving it some time. If you follow the routine you mentioned your body will change. That's the beauty of the human body…it adapts to what you ask of it.
While there is very little contribution from the biceps in a proper hang clean, you can't go from a straight arm position to a flexed arm position without some bicep involvement. The easy way to see this is to do a very hard biceps workout, then try to do your normal hang clean workout. You will have a some trouble at the top of the lift before you drop under the bar.
Even so, the biceps play a very minor role and are not of signifant mass to be a problem, unless you're a body builder.
Hang cleans shouldn't work the biceps at all. I've never had a problem with adding mass while doing cleans. The time under tension is so short and the emphasis is primarily on the legs.
I'd just suggest giving it some time. If you follow the routine you mentioned your body will change. That's the beauty of the human body…it adapts to what you ask of it.
While there is very little contribution from the biceps in a proper hang clean, you can't go from a straight arm position to a flexed arm position without some bicep involvement. The easy way to see this is to do a very hard biceps workout, then try to do your normal hang clean workout. You will have a some trouble at the top of the lift before you drop under the bar.
Even so, the biceps play a very minor role and are not of signifant mass to be a problem, unless you're a body builder.
You are saying nothing new, we understand that biceps play a role in the hang clean but like you mention its a very small role. Do you think the hang clean is not a good lift for this athlete?
Unless you're technique is very poor or you're doing a full competition clean, the arms play a very minor role. The traps help to add the final acceleration to the bar but even this is a small contribution when compared to the legs and hips. I'd imagine I could probably clean about 85% of my current power clean max if my upper body muscles were completely silent.
My technique is pretty good, and as stated previously, I use this as a predominately explosive leg exercise (as it should be), as a CNS, weighted stimulus, after a speed session. Set and reps are around the 3/4 x 4/6 range, with a weight that I could previously lift with one hand, so hypertrophic stimulus should be minimal (as is my goal). The only specific upper body exercises that I am currently doing are Chins, Push Ups and Dips, 3 x sets each, in a circuit with lower body exercises (such as steps ups and walking lunges), once a week. Hence my frustration of still maintaining upper body mass, with an increase of volume to 6 x running sessions a week (approx 40-50 km's + speed work, as my competitive season is commencing within weeks).
Be patient. It's very difficult to force muscle atrophy in highly developed musculature.
I worked with a guy 2 years ago who was very top heavy (mostly due to genetics) and began training for bobsledding and it took about 6 months of my training for him to start looking like an athlete rather than a bodybuilder.
I've got a guy on my team now who was top heavy last year. He's been working full-time with me for 3 months now and he's dropped about 10 lbs of upper body weight. We didn't do anything special to force the weight off but it's redistributed now that he's training with me.
I've got a guy on my team now who was top heavy last year. He's been working full-time with me for 3 months now and he's dropped about 10 lbs of upper body weight. We didn't do anything special to force the weight off but it's redistributed now that he's training with me.
Thanks Mike for the encouragement. Much appreciated. What kind of things have you done with this guy to 'redistribute'? Running specific? Muscular endurance?
Really there was nothing specific for him. My programs are generally lower body focused and we typically do less than 15 sets of heavy upper body lifting a week. Granted, this is supplemented with plenty of general strength and occasional low intensity weightlifting circuits but overall the volume is fairly low and there's no one who stays top heavy in my programs for very long.
i would figure the shoulders would contribute the most to cleans.
lol, why is this?
sorry let me rephrase that was vague, in regards to upper body muscle involvement i would figure the shoulders along with the traps would play more of a role compared to the biceps, because the movement upwards im sure the shoulders assists teh traps like synergist?
i would figure the shoulders would contribute the most to cleans.
lol, why is this?
sorry let me rephrase that was vague, in regards to upper body muscle involvement i would figure the shoulders along with the traps would play more of a role compared to the biceps, because the movement upwards im sure the shoulders assists teh traps like synergist?
We are talking about a big lift so there are many muscles involved, but the primary muscles are the legs/hips.
i would figure the shoulders would contribute the most to cleans.
lol, why is this?
sorry let me rephrase that was vague, in regards to upper body muscle involvement i would figure the shoulders along with the traps would play more of a role compared to the biceps, because the movement upwards im sure the shoulders assists teh traps like synergist?
We are talking about a big lift so there are many muscles involved, but the primary muscles are the legs/hips.
